A Special Someone
by MirielleLestrangeHatesCheese
Summary: Shelby is living her normal life when her ex-fiance comes back into her life. Contains quite a bit of Karen/Derek, Rachel/Jesse and some Shelby/Derek, as well as Shelby/Scott. Hints at Jesse/Ana and Rachel/Jimmy
1. Chapter 1

Shelby's ringtone began to play, and Shelby threw a pillow at the phone blaring out Daylight by Maroon 5.

"Shut up Adam." Shelby mumbled. There was a quiet giggle and Shelby sat up.

"Hi sweetie!" Shelby said to three-year-old Beth. Beth smiled and tossed her curly hair over her shoulder as she walked up to the bed.

"Mommy, the reason it's playing Maroon 5 is cause someone's calling you." Beth said, still giggling. Shelby grabbed the phone and answered without glancing at the caller ID.

"Hello?" Shelby asked, her voice cracking slightly. Shelby winced and Beth laughed.

"Shelby? It's Rachel." Rachel's voice said. She sounded like she'd been crying.

"Rachel, what's wrong? Where are you? Who-" Shelby began but Rachel cut her off.

"I went to audition for the Funny Girl revival but the director turned me down. He said because I was related to you, that I couldn't have the part." Rachel almost ranted. Shelby raised an eyebrow, causing Beth to giggle again and grab the phone.

"Rachel? It's Beth. I wanted to say hi. Hi!" Beth handed the phone back to her mother and Shelby could still hear Rachel's chuckles.

"What was the director's name?" Shelby asked. She racked her brain to find someone who could hate her that much. Then, as she came to the conclusion, Rachel answered:

"Derek Wills."

Shelby scrolled through her contacts and reached the last one. Derek Wills. He had the nerve to lash out onto Rachel, whom he knew she barely knew? She dialled the number and the phone rang. Once, twice, three times before he picked up. "Hello?" he drawled in his perfect British accent. Shelby nearly melted, his voice had always done that.

"Derek." Shelby responded almost automatically. It had been their way of communicating when they'd been together.

"Shelby? Why am I not surprised?" Derek said sarcastically. Shelby almost rolled her eyes. He was hopeless.

"I need to talk. Meet me in five minutes." Shelby said, then hung up. He didn't like it, oh well. She couldn't stand him. It had been almost ten years since Tom Levitt had told her that Derek had cheated on her. Who in their right mind, besides Shelby and that new star, Karen, could stand Derek, she wondered. He was arrogant, self-absorbed, vain, sarcastic and cold. Shelby was his pair, his female counterpart, except Shelby wouldn't as far as to say that.

"Shelby, this had better be good, Tom already bloody pissed at me." Derek sat down next to his ex-fiancee. Shelby just glared at him. He looked good. No, screw that, he looked great. Forty- years-old and still had a six pack, as well as all of his hair and he still looked as alert as ever, even if he was faking being annoyed.

"Oh, we both know you're happy to see me." Shelby said, "So cut the crap." Derek chuckled and eyed Shelby.

"What makes you say that?" Derek asked, amused. Shelby resisted the urge to punch him.

"Derek, you know why I'm here." Shelby said quietly. Derek frowned.

"What, the fact that I turned down your daughter and used you as an excuse to do it?" Derek asked, checking his nails. Shelby's hands tightened into fists, and she counted to ten in her head before letting go. I can't go to jail, Beth needs me, Shelby thought. Derek seemed to follow her thoughts.

"Why wasn't she good?" Shelby asked in a surprisingly even voice. Derek thought for a moment.

"She's not right for the part. Her voice, it's for belting. However, I'm working on this other musical, if she wants. Actually, if you need a job also, I have a part for you." Shelby's mouth dropped. She immediately snapped her mouth shut, pulled out her phone and started texting. Derek stared at her for a minute, before waving a hand in front of her face and saying her name. Shelby blinked and looked at him.

"Are you alright? You seem a little, I don't know, stressed? Tired?" Derek said, genuinely concerned. Shelby started and stared at Derek. He looked right back at her, confused.

"Since when are you feeling anything other than happiness at my showing weakness?" Shelby finally asked. Derek blushed and muttered something like "Met someone." Shelby realized she'd need to have a talk with Karen Cartwright.


	2. Chapter 2- The plan

"Mr. Wills, thank you so much for asking me to audition for this even though you hate my mom for some reason I don't know and-" Rachel began to rant. Derek raised a hand to his head and rubbed his temple. he'd been up late the night beforehand at a bar with his ex-fiancee, his cursh and his coworkers, one of whom he hated (Tom) and one of whom was the only person who's boundaries he respected (Julia).

_Flashback to the night beforehand_

"Hi, Karen. I'm Shelby. I'm Derek's ex." Shelby introduced herself. The two women looked at each other for a few moments before laughing.

"I swear, pretty much every actress on Broadway could say that and I wouldn't be surprised." Karen laughed. Shelby agreed silently before the two others made their way over.

"Oh my God, Tom, Julia! Hi guys!" Shelby grinned like Christmas had come early as her close friends approached. Julia smiled and hugged Shelby.

"Shelby Rosalie Anne Corcoran. Do my eyes decieve me?" Tom asked dramatically.

"No they don't. I curl my hair, yes. I'm wearing contacts now, yes and no, I haven't given birth to anyone new. However, I found my daughter. Her name's Rachel. She's the reason I'm even here. Rachel's close friend Quinn had a baby girl and I adopted her. This is Beth." Shelby said, cutting Tom's questions off before they started. karen watched quietly as the three exchanged pleasantries.

"Leo's in college now, isn't he? We should introduce him to Rachel sometime." Shelby laughed as Julia made a face.

"Darling, I believe your boring Karen." Derek walked back over with a bunch of drinks.

"Scotch for me and Julia. Beer for Karen and Tom. And a vesper for lovely Shelby." Shelby grinned and took her drink. Karen raised an eyebrow.

"James Bond. I tried it once and fell for it. This is the best drink in the world!" Shelby yelled, putting her glass as high up as it would go. Everyone but Derek laughed at her. Derek seemed moodier than usual, brooding silently into his glass. Karen noticed and went ovr.

"Derek, are you okay?" Karen asked, truly concerned. Derek's hazel eyes met Karen's brown ones and teared up a bit.

"There's something you need to know. Shelby and I were engaged before I went and cheated on her. The day before the wedding, Tom told Shel and she left me. She's the only woman besides you I've ever cared for, and her leaving me is what made me into the womanizer I am. Back in the days with Shelby, I was-"

"Different." Shelby cut in. Everyone was silent. "He was romantic, a complete sweetheart. We were horrible to one another, purposely, of course. We were where we took our anger out. You couldn't walk into a room without feeling tension between the two of us. there were days where we wouldn't talk at all. Which was really hard considering he was my director. Honestly, picture him going 'Tom, tell Shelby to move five steps stage left.' Tom would then turn to me and say something like 'His Royal Pain in the Ass would like you to move five steps towards stage right.' And as we weren't talking, I had to listen to Tom. It was hell, all thanks to Tom." Tom smiled and saluted at Shelby. Julia's eyes were on the floor, and Karen had the decency to avoid anyone's eyes.

"Shelby, a word. Now." Derek grabbed Shelby and pulled her over to the side.

"Listen. I am head over heels with Karen, and while you're saying this to entertain, I'm losing Karen even more than before, in which I barely had her anyways. So stop, and try and help me get the girl I'm in love with. Now." Derek said angrily. Shelby smiled.

"You only had to ask, Derek. Anyways, I have been helping. She's seeing how much you've changed, and how sweet you've become. All you have to do is have someone flirt with you and turn them down if she asks you to." Shelby said, grinning. "Then her heart is yours. I kow what I'm talking about, Derek, I'm a girl myself. I know how she feels, it's the same way I felt. Except you actually went and slept with that girl anways." Derek was quiet before pulling out his phone and calling somebody.

"Hello? Yeah, it's Wills. I need her for about twenty minutes, in a fancy short tight red dress. Thanks, you're the best." Derek turned to Shelby, a wide smile on his face. "Remember Michael Swift? He cheated on Monica, but they got back together. She's acting now, and they both owe me a favour." Shelby laughed and gave Derek a kiss on the cheek.

"Monica could have always done better, but they did create a perfect baby. Now let's get back to your lover, now." Shelby dragged Derek back to the others.

"Tom, want to sing a song with me?" Shelby asked, smirking as Tom turned red and turned it down because Shelby was "too pretty and talented for me."

"Okay, then. Your loss. Karen?" Shelby turned to Karen. Without a word, Karen handed her bag to Julia and followed Shelby to the stage. They prceeded to blow everyone's ears off with the song Next to Me by Emeli Sande. They harmonized as if they'd been singing together for years.

"Two powerful women in your life, Derek, how's it feel?" Tom asked, amused by Derek's interesting choices in women.

"I feel like if I get together with either of them, I'm going to have hell for the rest of my life." Derek grumbled, but inside he was smiling widely. The two most important women in his life got along beautifully and seemed to be as close as Tom and Julia after about twenty minutes of knowing each other.

"Derek!" Monica Swift showed up. She was wearing a beautful red gown and her hair was curled slightly and hanging over her shoulder.

( . g) She smiled shyly at Derek.

"Good?" She asked. She laughed as she saw Derek's jaw drop and sutter his answer.

"I- Uh- Beautiful, Monica. Really- um- gorgeous." Derek said, running a hand through his messy brown hair. A twinkle appeared in Monica's brown eyes as she grinned.

"Great. Let's make Karen jealous!" She said, leaning towards Derek. Derek, laughing, took her hand and brought her over to the bar.

From the stage, Karen watched closely as Derek took the brunette's hand and led her towards the bar. Karen's eyes narrowed and she missed a note. Worriedly, Shelby looked and her and followed her gaze. Shelby hid a smile as Karen missed another note as she watched Derek and Monica drink together and laugh. Monica caught Shelby's eye and grinned widely at her close friend, who was clearly fighting a laugh.

"Karen. Go get him." Shelby said as there was a brief pause in the song. Karen nodded gratefully and threw the microphone at Shelby. Grinning, Shelby caught it and continued the song. Karen ran over to Derek.

"Derek, dear. Who's this?" Monica asked as Karen ran up.

"Oh, Monica. This is Karen, the girl who was Marylin until Ivy took the part." Derek said lazily, barely glancing up from his martini. Monica laughed and finished her appletini, ignoring the look of disgust her husband gave her from two stools down. Who gives a damn if he thinks I'm cheating, Monica thought.

Karen glared at Derek as he almost completely ingored her for Monica. Finally, she couldn't stand it.

"Derek, walk me home. Now." She said, grabbing her jacket and his sleeve.

"Ow, watch it. This is real leather, Karen. Ow! Derek complained as Karen dragged him out of the bar.

"What the hell were you doing? Isn't that Michael Swift's wife?"  
Karen asked, ignoring Derek walking a pace behind her. She set off in a quick pace and left Derek to catch up with her.

"Trying to make you jealous, love." Derek said as he grabbed her jackert and spun her. Quickly, he kissed her. She was surprised at first, but quickly responded.

Derek broke the kiss off after a minute. "Do you understand now?" He asked quietly. Karen nodded.

"I need time to think, Derek. I'll, um, see you tomorrow." Karen left.

From across the street, Shelby watched as Derek kissed Karen and she ran off. She quickly crossed the street and almost got hit by a car. It honked at her, but she ignored it.

"Derek?" Shelby asked quietly as she approached the man deep in thought. Derek jumped.

"I was thinking." Derek said simply.

"Must be new territory for you. Did you get lost?" Shelby asked. Derek smirked and hugged Shelby.

"What the hell was that for?" Shelby asked, quickly tripping backwards.

"For everything, Shel. Let me walk you home."


	3. Chapter 3

Together, the Brit and the girl from Ohio walked back to the quiet apartment. Beth wasn't home, she was at Shelby's sister's house for the night. So as they approached the bulding, Shelby turned to Derek.

"Do you want to come in?" Shelby asked almost shyly. Derek smiled and nodded at her. Shelby sighed. Thank God he knows when I need a pick me up because I'm insecure, she thought. She led the way to apartment 14G and grinned as Derek examined the small plaque on the door.

"So, you hide a key behind here, as well as a photograph of you and Beth, the photo we took for the wedding and just a picture of me?" Derek asked, slightly amused. Shelby blushed and muttered something.

"What?" Derek asked, his grin widening. Shelby muttered "Nothing," and Derek left her alone. He knew she needed her privacy.

"Want a drink, Derek?" She called from the kitchen. He followed her voice into the room. Se was holding a bottle of Moscato wine and two glasses. She couldn't see him, but he could see her clearly.

"Shelby?" He walked into the room where she could see him.

"Yeah?" Shelby asked and handed him his glass. He took a sip, made a face and glared at his ex.

"Really. Exactly the one I hate." Derek said. Shelby smiled, but Derek could see a bit of sadness in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Shel?" He asked quietly, walking up to her and pulling her into a hug.

"I'll answer if you ask the question you had before." Shelby said, pulling away from Derek. Derek could sense there was a shift in Shelby's mood, but he couldn't figure it out.

"I was going to say that we haven't sang together in almost ten years. I want to sing a duet with you sometime." Derek said. "Now answer the other question." Shelby looked a tthe floor then sat down on the couch. Derek took the chair almost right next to the couch.

"I miss us." Shelby said simply. Derek was speechless for a moment.

"As in our relationship. Us. Derelby or Shelrek or whatever the hell they called us." Shelby gave a small grin before taking another drink of wine and frowning. "But I've seen the way you look at Karen and I know I'll never be able to compete with that look. It's just so hard knowing you've moved on when I haven't yet." Derek was speechless. e'd heard that speech a million times, from his exes, his conquests, even Ivy, for God's sake. But not once would it have affected him the way this one did.

"Shelby, I- um, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked for your help with this, I-" Derek stumbled over his words. Shelby smiled sadly again.

"You never asked, Derek. I took it upon myself. I just was stupid and didn't realzie how hard it would be to see you happy for once." Derek swallowed the tears that were somehow building up in the back of his throat. Shebly had changed, and godammit, he had too. They were both sweeter, nicer, calmer. Nothing they had ever thoguht would happen.

"Wanna play the old game?" Shelby asked with a small grin, growing back into her usual perky self. Derek smiled.

"Alright. Guess what I was just thinking. Ten bucks says you won't be able to." He challenged. She smiled.

"You were just thinking about how we've both changed, became calmer and kinder, and how it wasn't anything that we'd ever expected, or anything that woud've happened if we were still together." Shelby said. Derek mad ea face and handed her the ten dollar bill he'd had in his hand since he'd first challenged her. She'd always won.

"You know, I've still never figured out how you've been able to do that. And don't respond magic." Derek said. Shelby gave him a sheepish smile.

"Great minds think alike, Derek. G'night."


	4. Chapter 4

**THE NEXT MORNING:**

"Rachel, for God's sake, shut up!" Derek said angrily as Rachel continued to chat. Hurt, she stopped talking. Shelby rolled her eyes.

"Rachel, ignore Wills. He stayed up late last night drinking." Shelby said, shooting Derek a small guilty grin. Derek rolled his eyes.

"And who was giving me the alcohol, Shelby?" Derek asked sarcastically. Shelby laughed, and Rachel raised an eyebrow.

"I'm still not used to you being close with a guy." Rachel told her mother. Shelby grinned at Rachel.

"Yeah, well, can you believe that I dated Jesse before you did?" Shelby asked. Rachel made a face.

"Ew. I made out with a guy you slept with? Oh, God, Mom." Rachel said and wandered to the opposite side of the room. Shelby winked at Derek and added in a loud voice "Oh, and I made out with Will!" Rachel screamed dramatically and rushed from the room. Laughing, Shelby high-fived her ex. He was grinning widely.

"Wow, Derek. First time I've seen you grin in almost twenty years!" Tom walked into the room. Shelby got up and hugged him.

"How've you been, girl?" Sam asks and hugged Shelby. Sam had followed Tom into the room. Shelby laughed and kissed Sam's cheek.

"Oh, God. Life's good. Sarah's bringing Beth in a couple minutes, and she'd love to meet you guys." Shelby added, with small glance at Derek and Tom. The two nodded.

"Okay, now I heard about your fight, and I seem to be the only one able to do this. Shake hands, and promise with scouts honor, yes both of you were boy scouts, I'm not an idiot, that you will stop this fight and become the best friends you were before. That was probably the best relationship I've ever seen between a gay and a homophobe I've seen, and I mean no offence." Shelby grinned at the two. They reluctantly looked at each other.

"She does have a point." Derek said as he reached out. Tom silently took his hand and shook it. Then the two men stood and put their right hands over their chests.

"I swear that we will never fight without good reason again. Good reasons include girls- hmm, Shelby- family or Lyle West." The two said in unison after a moment's discussion in hushed tones. The two exchanged grins and glanced at Shelby as she rolled her eyes but gave them a small grin.

"You two are such idiots, honestly." Shelby said and was about to storm out overdramatically when a friend entered.

"Scott. If that is you, I swear, you've grown a foot since I last saw you." Shelby said as she almost bumped into Scott. He grinned.

"I'd say you shrunk, but you'd kill me." Scott responded easily. Karen scoffed at Shelby. How many people did this woman know? Anyways, since that night, things had been awkward between Karen and Derek, so they'd mostly avoided each other, but things were slowly leading back to where they'd been beforehand.

"Damn right I'd kill you." Shelby responded as the doors opened again.

"Momma!" The blonde toddler flew into Shelby's arms. Follwoing the toddler was a tall woman who looked a bit like Shelby (Stephanie J. Block).

"Thanks again for watching the angel last night." Shelby said. Sarah wrinkled her nose.

"Angel? You mean the devil?" Sarah responded with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh, Hi, Derek. Didn't see you. I'm hoping you and Shelby made up, otherwise I have to go kill myself." Sarah continued, oblivious to Derek and Tom's eye rolls, and Scott, Julia and Karen's raised eyebrows. Shelby smiled as she kicked her sister.

"Ow! Okay, Shel, I'm leaving. I'm gone." Sarah grinned at her sister as she left.

"Shelby, we need to have another fight so that your sister kills hersef." Derek said, earning a high-five from Tom and a smack from Shelby.

"Derek, can I talk to you?" Karen asked and motioned to the door. Derek nodded and left with Karen. Immediately, Scott, Shelby, Tom and Julia raced to get the best spots to listening at the door.

"Derek?" Karen asked softly, as Derek looked anywhere but at her. Slowly, his eyes met hers.

"I'm sorry for running off on you last night," Karen said. Derek gave her a small smile.

"My fault, don't apologize." Derek responded. Karen smiled shyly and nodded.

"I just. You know that I'm not very good at choosing guys and I've had my heart broken one to many times for my liking." Karen said, watching Derek closely.

"And you have every reason to be suspicious of me." Derek agreed. Karen smiled and nodded unhappily.

"Karen. I understand completely, I promise. All I want is a chance. Listen, I have an idea. We'll try this. We'll go slowly, and discuss everything, we'll be completely honest with each other. If I ever hurt you, I promise you. I will disappear. I own an island in the Bahamas. I'll move there, with the billion dollars I have and you'll never see or hear from me again." Derek said. Only by looking into his eyes, could Karen tell he was sincere.

"You'd leave everything behind for my comfort?" Karen asked. Derek nodded.

"I'd bloody jump off a bridge if you wanted." Derek said with a small grin, and got the laugh he wanted.

"I guess we can try it." Karen said. Derek grinned and opened his phone. He speed dialed number two.

"Ivy. Listen, I got together with Karen. Yeah, I guess. Bug her about preparing a wedding, not me. Acutally, bug Tom. Tom's already shotgunned it." Derek hung up. Karen and Derek grined sheepishly at each other. Shelby poked her head out of the door and yelled "About freaking time!" and ran back into the room and Derek growled and lunged after his ex. Laughing, Karen joined the others who all grined and high-fived her.

"You got Derek to promise eternal chastity. That is impressive." Scott said, earning a death glare from Derek and Karen and a laugh from Julia.

"One condition. Derek, if we're getting together, Julia and Scott need to go out as well." Karen said, laughing. Derek grinned as well. Julia turned the color of her hair and Scott looked bashful.

"Guys!" Rachel ran into the room looking really happy. Shelby raised an eyebrow, and Karen imitated her.

"What is it, Rachel?" They said in unison, in the exact same weary tone. Shelby looked at the actress, amused.

"Jinx." Karen said calmly. Shelby opened her mouth before snapping it closed angrily. Karen high-fived Derek as the door snapped oopen and three people walked in calmly.

"Ana Vargas, bitch exrtaodinaire in the house." Ana said, tossing her short black hair over her shoulder. Jimmy followed with a grin, and Jesse followed. Shelby gasped as the two lined up next to the other showing off the fact they were identical.

"You two are related?" Karen asked. Jesse noded.

"His little brother." He said. The entire group exchanged shocked looks. Karen looked at Shelby, amused.

"So I'm currently dating your ex, and I dated your ex's little brother?" Karen asked Shelby, who shrugged and gestured at her mouth.

"So I'm currently dating your ex, and I dated your ex's little brother, _Shelby_?" Karen repeated angrily.

"Contrary to popular belief, the theater world is actually quite small." Shelby responded with a small smile. Jesse grinned at the mother and daughter pair.

"If anyone starts bloody singing it's a small world, I'm going to murder all of you. Can we start rehearsal, please!" Derek yelled. Shelby and Karen immediately began humming under their breath and exchanged quick grins as Derek shot them irritated looks. They slowly got into position one.

_**Hey guys! Kerry here. Anyways, I've decided that I'm not gonna post another chapter until I get more reviews. So if you want another chapter, I need some more reviews. Also, if anyone wants to co-write something about either Glee or Smash, let me know. My friend Diana also has an account now. Her account name is DiDilovesDerek. She's looking to co-write something about Smash right now, so give her a PM to chat with her. Love you all! Kisses!**_


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